Convertible fabric

ABSTRACT

A convertible fabric having improved acoustical and heat transfer properties comprising an elastomeric polymer coating on a double woven fabric. The double woven having the standard sateen weave and the backing fabric of a plain weave interconnected to the sateen weave fabric with one surface of the plain weave coated with an elastomeric polymer to provide air spaces between the fabrics of the double woven fabric.

This invention relates to a double woven fabric with sound deadening andlow heat transfer qualities for use, in particular, in the manufactureof tops for convertibles.

Prior to this invention it was difficult to reduce the noisetransmission and heat transfer into and out of a convertible when thetop was up unless the top was multilayered requiring a series ofmanufacturing operations. This not only required additional fabrics butwas costly to produce because of the numerous steps involved in puttingthe numerous layers together to form a convertible top.

Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide a woven fabricwith improved sound deadening and heat transfer properties that issimple to manufacture and is as strong as competitive fabrics.

A further object of the invention is to provide a convertible top fabrichaving improved sound deadening and heat transfer properties.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readilyapparent as the specifications proceed to describe the invention withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view across the fill direction of the new andimproved fabric used in the automobile convertible top shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a top schematic view of the substrate fabric shown in FIG. 1and

FIG. 4 is an exploded weave diagram of the double woven fabric shown inFIGS. 1 and 3.

In the preferred form of the invention the basic double woven fabric isused to make a convertible top fabric but such use is only preferredbecause it can readily be seen that the disclosed double woven fabriccould be used for other purposes such as a sound barrier for wallpanels, a cubicle curtain, a substrate for simulated leather, etc.

Looking now to FIGS. 1 and 2 the reference number 10 represents a doublewoven coated fabric 10 for use in a convertible top 12 for an automobileor truck 14. The double woven coated fabric 10 consists of a doublewoven fabric 16 having a lower standard sateen weave fabric 18, an upperplain weave fabric 20 and an elastomeric polymer coating 22 of vinyl,such as PVC, or rubber or synthetic rubber or other suitable elastomericpolymers depending on the desired use of the fabric 16. For use as aconvertible fabric the coating 22 is preferably a PVC vinyl coating.

As discussed above the double woven fabric 16 consists basically of astandard sateen weave fabric 18 and an upper weave fabric wovenpreferably of 65/35 blend of polyester-cotton with all the warp yarns 24being 15's cotton count and the fill yarns 23 being 10's cotton count.The finished fabric is 60″ wide with 108 ends per inch and 62 picks perinch. Other suitable yarns such as a 50/50 blend of polyester-cotton canbe used if desired.

Looking at FIG. 4 which is a schematic weave diagram the yarns have beenspaced to show the upper and lower fabrics 20, 18 respectively. Thespaces 26 between adjacent warp yarns 24 of the sateen fabric areprovided to show the plain weave fabric 20 from which certain warp yarns28 are raised from the surface thereof to encompass certain fill yarns30 of the sateen weave fabric 18 to secure the two layers of the fabrictogether and at the same time provide a space 32 therebetween whencoated which acts as an air space to provide sound deadening andimproved heat insulation properties to the fabric while allowing thefabric to be readily produced on a loom. FIG. 3 clearly indicates theopenings 34 in the plain weave fabric 20 which when coated cooperateswith the sateen weave fabric 18 to provide the desired improvement andhelp trap the air between the two fabrics.

The raising of the warp yarn 28 in the plain weave fabric 20 toencompass the fill yarn 30 of the sateen weave fabric 18 creates aconnecting space 40 between the plain weave fabric 20 and the sateenweave fabric 18. As illustrated, the connecting space 40 is occupied bythe coating 22.

As mentioned before the preferred use of the coated double woven fabricis for the manufacture of convertible tops but other uses arecontemplated depending on the coating on the fabric. These uses includebut are not limited to accoustical curtains or panels, leather likefabrics, wall panels or any other use where esthetics combined withstrength and sound deadening quality is necessary.

Although the preferred embodimenat of the invention has been describedit is contemplated that meny changes may be made within the scope of theinvention and it is desired that the invention be limited only by theclaims.

I claim:
 1. A coated fabric comprising: a double woven substrate havinga sateen weave fabric interconnected to a plain weave fabric such that aseparation space exists between the sateen weave fabric and the plainweave fabric, and a elastomeric polymer coating on the surface of theplain weave fabric on the side opposite to the sateen weave fabric. 2.The fabric of claim 1 wherein said coating is PVC.
 3. The fabric ofclaim 2 wherein said yarns in said fabric are 65/35 polyester-cotton. 4.The fabric of claim 1 wherein said coating is rubber or a rubbersubstitute.
 5. The fabric of claim 4 wherein said yarns in said fabricare 65/35 polyester-cotton.